Work to build 105 student flats in Talisman to start in spring

Sam Jackson

Work to build 105 student flats and five new shops in Talisman is expected to start in spring 2018, developers have confirmed.

Although planning permission was granted for the £12 million development in December 2016, a ‘legal agreement’ between developers Discovery Properties and Warwick District Council has only just been reached.

A decision notice formally granting permission was issued on Thursday July 20.

Hugo Hawkings, chief executive of Discovery Properties, said: “Following completion of our legal agreement with the council we are pleased full consent has now finally been formally granted.

“We are working on the scheme with a view to starting work in the spring of 2018, with completion due in the summer of 2019.

“There are a still a number of issues to be resolved before we will be in a position to confirm commencement of the works, and we’ll continue to update our tenants and the public on the progress of the project as we move forward.”

The building will replace the temporary car park and will create a ‘corridor’ linking Warwick Road and Station Road.

The plans split the district council’s planning committee, who granted the development by seven votes to four on Tuesday December 6. No district councillors representing Kenilworth wards voted in favour of the plans.

Planning chairman Cllr John Cooke (Con, St John’s) said the plan was ‘greedy’.

He added: “This application has used every possible centimetre of this site. They couldn’t have put more on it if they tried.”

But Cllr Amanda Stevens (Con, Manor) said the building would ‘enhance’ Talisman.